Devon Based Specialist Sends Floodgate to Los Angeles

Global flood defence specialist, Flood Control International, based in Tavistock, has played a key role  in the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant Berm Improvements project, undertaken by the City of Los Angeles, California Department of Public Works Bureau of Engineering.

Flood Control International provided a cutting-edge steel sliding floodgate, measuring an impressive 8.5m in length and 1.5 metres in height, showcasing its exceptional design capabilities.

Collaborating closely with their local supply chain manufacturing sector in Plymouth,  supporting local jobs and the regional economy in the process, this partnership underscores Flood Control International’s dedication to both excellence in flood control technology and commitment to strengthening local communities.

One of the standout features of this project for Flood Control, is the acceptance by the client of an alternative gate specification, meticulously engineered to meet project requirements, while utilising significantly less steel. This innovative design not only makes the gate lighter but also streamlines the installation process, resulting in remarkable cost savings for the client, the City of Los Angeles.

Speaking about the contract, Tim Collingwood, Managing Director of Flood Control International, said: “Yet again, we’re able to co-ordinate the design, manufacture and shipping  of one of our  floodgates from the South West of the United Kingdom to the United States, in this case the West Coast. This exemplifies Flood Control International’s global reach and commitment to delivering high-quality flood control solutions worldwide.” 

For more information about Flood Control International, visit: www.floodcontrolinternational.com or email: enquiries@floodcontrolint.com

Zebra Design Shake Shack’s New Shack in the Centre of Oxford

Designed by Zebra, Shake Shack opened its doors to a new Shack in Oxford on Monday 18th December at 12.30pm. Shake Shack Oxford is set over three floors, with a prime location on Cornmarket Street, a major pedestrian shopping hub in the city’s historic centre. 

Playing with a natural colour palette, the interior is inspired by Oxford University and its ‘Dreaming Spires’ The college buildings range from medieval to modern, but most are made up of interlinked quadrangles (courtyards), with a porter’s lodge controlling entry from the outside. This Shack will recreate the gateways and the sequence of different spaces that makes customers enjoy different experiences and feel connected to Oxford’s college culture.

With the restaurant spanning over three floors, Zebra wanted to ensure the Shack has a different colour palette and mood for each area. The first one, on the ground floor, will have a natural and soft palette to recreate the feeling of being in a courtyard. On the first floor there will also be areas reminiscent of college ‘reading rooms’ which will have the pastel colours found in some college libraries, and the wall texture will representing the books’ silhouettes. Warm tones have been used across the other floors to create a more inviting look and feel.

Lee Roberts, Creative Director of Zebra, says: “Shake Shack Oxford is another example of Zebra’s approach to create compelling spaces that truly connect brands to the wider towns and cities they occupy. Each location is designed to reflect the local community it serves, taking design cues from local environment to craft unique gathering spaces for guests, creating a sense of place.”

Artwork by Ellie Fryer, a contemporary illustrator and muralist, will feature on the walls with unique illustrations taking influence from the rich historical and mythical tapestry surrounding this celebrated city.

See link to visuals: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/7rb0bltsvpzyk15zqo0kc/h?rlkey=ypc362s0sk19qet9trg56xi4z&dl=0

Work set to start on Walsall waste energy plant

Construction will start shortly on a new waste energy plant in Walsall after owner and operator Encyclis reached financial close on the deal and Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) was confirmed as principal contractor.

HZI will build the plant under a turnkey engineering, procurement and construction contract.

Work will see the regeneration of a disused industrial site in Fryers Road, Walsall with more than 300 workers employed during the construction with a commitment to purchasing good and services locally where possible.

Initial work to prepare the site for construction has been carried out by Wolverhampton-based groundworks specialist McAuliffe.

The facility will utilise the latest combustion technology to turn up to 436,000 tonnes of the region’s non-recyclable residual waste every year into 49MWe of low carbon baseload electricity – enough to power around 90,000 homes.

The project has been supported by West Midlands Combined Authority, which provided an initial loan facility for enabling groundworks at the site ahead of financial close.

Fabio Dinale, Executive VP of Business Development at HZI, said: “The Walsall Facility is HZI’s 19th UK project and HZI is delighted to be awarded this important contract by Encyclis. It demonstrates the trust our clients have in our experienced staff and proven technology capabilities. This Walsall plant will utilise HZI’s proven combustion technology.”

Go-ahead for Grimsby hotel and conference centre

Local planners have given the go-ahead to plans to transform a landmark building in Grimsby into offices for the maritime sector and an exhibition centre

The plans will see the abandoned grade-II Great Grimsby Ice Factory, which was built in 1900 to provide crushed ice for the town’s trawlers, redeveloped into offices and a conference centre.

Plans for a 160-bed hotel next door were also approved.

London-based developer and entrepreneur Tom Shutes is behind the scheme, which has been designed by architect Waugh Thistleton, to act as a catalyst for the wider regeneration of Grimsby Docks.

The professional team includes M&E consultant Cundall and structural engineer Waterma.

Plans in for major Eastbourne retirement complex

Later living developer-operator Untold Living has submitted plans to Eastbourne Borough Council for a 139-home seafront integrated retirement community.  

The mid-market retirement specialist, which is backed by Matter Real Estate, completed the acquisition of a prime 2.5-acre seafront site at Sovereign Harbour in November from Birch Limited, a Richardson family company. 

 Subject to planning consent, Untold Living aims to build a range of one and two-bedroom flats for sale and rent overlooking the English Channel.  

The development, designed by architect Gaunt Francis, will also include a range of amenity spaces, some of which will be available for use by the wider Eastbourne community. 

Homes will be available across a range of different mid-market tenures, including to buy, for rent and purchase via shared ownership.  

Russell Jewell, CEO at Untold Living, said: “The urgent need for more purpose-built later living accommodation in the UK cannot be overstated, particularly in East Sussex, where the population of over-70s is growing more quickly than the national average.  

“Our Eastbourne scheme will not only offer round-the-clock care and support to residents when needed but also relieve pressure on local health and social services by lowering the frequency of residents’ hospital and GP visits.”

The Eastbourne scheme is the newest addition to Untold Living’s portfolio alongside an existing retirement community in Westbury, Wiltshire and sites in Crawley, West Sussex, and Newport, Shropshire.  

Untold Living is targeting a GDV of £300m for its initial development pipeline. The developer-operator is actively seeking to acquire other suitable sites and assets across the UK to expand its portfolio and is open to discussions with landowners, landlords and agents.   

Devon Based Specialist Sends Floodgate to Los Angeles

Global flood defence specialist, Flood Control International, based in Tavistock, has played a key role  in the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant Berm Improvements project, undertaken by the City of Los Angeles, California Department of Public Works Bureau of Engineering.

Flood Control International provided a cutting-edge steel sliding floodgate, measuring an impressive 8.5m in length and 1.5 metres in height, showcasing its exceptional design capabilities.

Collaborating closely with their local supply chain manufacturing sector in Plymouth,  supporting local jobs and the regional economy in the process, this partnership underscores Flood Control International’s dedication to both excellence in flood control technology and commitment to strengthening local communities.

One of the standout features of this project for Flood Control, is the acceptance by the client of an alternative gate specification, meticulously engineered to meet project requirements, while utilising significantly less steel. This innovative design not only makes the gate lighter but also streamlines the installation process, resulting in remarkable cost savings for the client, the City of Los Angeles.

Speaking about the contract, Tim Collingwood, Managing Director of Flood Control International, said: “Yet again, we’re able to co-ordinate the design, manufacture and shipping  of one of our  floodgates from the South West of the United Kingdom to the United States, in this case the West Coast. This exemplifies Flood Control International’s global reach and commitment to delivering high-quality flood control solutions worldwide.” 

For more information about Flood Control International, visit: www.floodcontrolinternational.com or email: enquiries@floodcontrolint.com

Second giant HS2 TBM gets ready to start digging under Birmingham

A team of 90 specialist engineers have completed the assembly of HS2’s latest giant tunnel boring machine (TBM) which will start digging the second bore of the 3.5 mile Bromford Tunnel into Birmingham next year.

In an assembly operation to move sections of the machine into a 12-metre deep launch pit, two 600 tonne cranes lifted the huge 125 tonne cutterhead into place at the front of the 125 metre long machine in the pit bottom.

The first TBM, named ‘Mary Ann’ after Mary Ann Evans – the real name of Victorian writer George Eliot who was born in Nuneaton – started digging the first bore from the east portal site near Water Orton in August this year.

It has already built more than 500 tunnel rings, which is 0.6 miles of the 3.5 mile long tunnel between North Warwickshire and Washwood Heath in Birmingham.

The name of the second TBM will be revealed before it launches in Spring next year. ‘Mary Ann’ is set to break through at the end of 2024, with the second TBM planned to complete its journey in the middle of 2025.

Both TBMs will remove 1.87 million tonnes of excavated material, which will be sifted at the on-site slurry treatment plant and reused on HS2’s nearby sites at Delta Junction, where a complex network of nine viaducts is being built.

HS2’s Senior Project Manager Catherine Loveridge said: “We’re now at peak construction, with over 9,750 people working on HS2 in the West Midlands and around 450 people working on this site, including many from the local area. Launching the second TBM next year means there will be more exciting jobs up for grabs for local people.”

The full Bromford Tunnel programme is being delivered by around 450 people working for HS2’s contractor Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV). A specialist tunnelling team, including apprentices working for BBV’s sub-contractor Tunnelcraft will operate the TBM 24/7, with each bore taking around 16 months.

Jules Arlaud, Tunnelling Director for Balfour Beatty VINCI said: “Completing the assembly of the second tunnel boring machine is another major achievement for the team working on HS2’s Bromford Tunnel – a complex section of the new high-speed railway.

“Getting to this stage has required a huge amount of planning and preparation, including the disassembly and transportation of ‘Dorothy’ parts from Warwickshire, which forms the majority of the second TBM.

“Over the next few months, the team will be busy testing, checking and carrying out the final preparations, to make sure the machine is ready to start digging in spring next year.”

A total of 41,594 concrete segments will create 5,942 rings to make the twin bore tunnel, with each ring weighing 49 tonnes.

The segments are being produced at Balfour Beatty VINCI’s pre-cast factory at Avonmouth near Bristol.

In the concrete mix used at the factory 40% of the cement is replaced with Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS) which has a much lower carbon footprint than traditional cement. 3D scanning is used in the production process of the segments to guarantee accuracy.

Skanska finally starts £1bn Black Cat A428 road scheme

After legal challenges and delays, Skanska finally started work on its £679m A428 Black Cat dualling job in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire yesterday.

Transport minister, Anthony Browne, broke ground on the project yesterday to mark the main start of construction on the scheme which will involve a total investment of £1bn.

Plans from National Highways will see the creation of a new 10-mile dual carriageway linking the A1 and A421 Black Cat roundabout in Bedfordshire to the A428 Caxton Gibbet roundabout in Cambridgeshire.

A number of junction improvements will be made, including a new three-tier junction at the Black Cat roundabout allowing free flowing traffic onto the A1 and the new carriageway.

The scheme will deliver significant benefits by preventing delays and increasing capacity along the route.

Lee Galloway, A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements Project Director, said:  “Today marks a pivotal milestone for everyone connected with this much-needed and wanted scheme.

“To get to this point would not have been possible without the dedication of our team, the support of our partners and stakeholders and the invaluable input from local communities.  ”

The scheme was first announced by the Coalition Government in 2014 and formed part of the first (2015-20) Road Investment Strategy (RIS). Its start has been put back several times since then through various budget reviews and finally a delay challenge.

Work finally starts on Liverpool’s Littlewoods building

Construction work has finally started to transform Liverpool’s former Littlewoods building into a film and TV campus.

Developers Capital&Centric have begun work to prepare the iconic building for restoration after it has stood empty for decades.

A remediation team will now carry-out a comprehensive strip out of the buildings and secure their structural integrity, preparing them for repurposing and restoration.

This first phase of work – expected to run until next summer – will pave the way for main contractors to move in, with two new 20,000sq.ft studios for big budget productions the first to be constructed on the neighbouring land.

Morgan Sindall was lined-up as main contractor before the project hit its latest delay three years ago with the main builder now set to be confirmed early next year.

John Moffat, Joint Managing Director of Capital&Centric, said:  “Whilst Liverpool is the UK’s most filmed location outside London, the city needs to keep upping the ante. Not only will The Littlewoods Project draw in productions, it will unlock opportunities in the creative sectors for locals for years to come.

“Having submitted detailed plans to Liverpool City Council last month, getting started on site is a major moment and the beginning of realising shared ambitions for the Littlewoods Project.

“There’s loads to be done before the main restoration can get going. The next six months will see an intensive period of remediation activity inside the iconic building, which will then pave the way for construction of the new build studios and Littlewoods’ re-birth as a cultural destination that Liverpool can rightly proud of.”

Taylor Woodrow signs on for £120m Meridian Water infrastructure project

Taylor Woodrow has been officially awarded a £120m strategic infrastructure contract for Meridian Water, a £6bn regeneration project in Edmonton, north London.

The contract covers an extensive range of works including naturalising a brook and creating two new parks, bridges, footpaths, and road and cycle links. After this work is completed, thousands of homes will be built, which will be contracted separately.

The Vinci-owned civils contractor signed a preconstruction services agreement for infrastructure work on the development in 2021, and has been working on designs and early supply chain engagement since.

Enfield Council leader Nesil Caliskan said: “This is an important milestone for Enfield Council as master developer. Working with our partners Taylor Woodrow, the new infrastructure will unlock Meridian Water’s future development parcels, paving the way to continue to build much-needed homes, commercial and leisure facilities.

Taylor Woodrow managing director Phil Skegg said: “Central to our role is creating a legacy for the community by focusing on local skills and employment, while ensuring that we protect and enhance the environment throughout construction and in preparation for the whole lifecycle of the development.”

In January, the council announced an ongoing review of Meridian Water due to cost inflation and interest rate rises.

It lowered its own spending on the project by £14.9m in 2022/23, pausing some preparation work, delaying some phases of future development and reducing the size of its team working on the project.

It subsequently said it will continue to revise elements of the scheme in order to ensure they all remain viable.

In July it secured an extra £25m, on top of the £170m awarded in 2020, from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for infrastructure works at the site, in order to mitigate the impact of inflation.